2012 Spanish Grand Prix
The 2012 Spanish Grand Prix (formally the Formula 1 Gran Premio de España Santander 2012) was a Formula One motor race held on 13 May 2012, at the Circuit de Catalunya in Montmeló, Spain, attended by 82,000 people. It was the fifth round of the 2012 Formula One World Championship and the 22nd Spanish Grand Prix at the track. Williams's Pastor Maldonado won the 66-lap event from pole position, with Ferrari's Fernando Alonso second and Lotus's Kimi Räikkönen third.
| 2012 Spanish Grand Prix | |||||
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Race 5 of 20 in the 2012 Formula One World Championship
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Circuit de Catalunya | |||||
| Race details | |||||
| Date | 13 May 2012 | ||||
| Official name | Formula 1 Gran Premio de España Santander 2012 | ||||
| Location | Circuit de Catalunya, Montmeló, Catalonia, Spain | ||||
| Course | Permanent racing facility | ||||
| Course length | 4.655 km (2.892 miles) | ||||
| Distance | 66 laps, 307.104 km (190.826 miles) | ||||
| Weather | Partially cloudy, dry: Air 23 °C (73 °F), Track 36 °C (97 °F) | ||||
| Attendance | 82,000 | ||||
| Pole position | |||||
| Driver |
| Williams-Renault | |||
| Time | 1:22.285 | ||||
| Fastest lap | |||||
| Driver | Romain Grosjean | Lotus-Renault | |||
| Time | 1:26.250 on lap 53 | ||||
| Podium | |||||
| First |
| Williams-Renault | |||
| Second | Ferrari | ||||
| Third | Lotus-Renault | ||||
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Lap leaders | |||||
Sebastian Vettel entered the race as the World Drivers' Championship leader while his team Red Bull were top of the World Constructors' Championship. Lewis Hamilton in his McLaren was fastest in qualifying; he was excluded from the qualifying results for breaking the technical regulations on fuel, forcing him to begin the race from the back of the grid. Maldonado thus inherited pole position but was overtaken by Alonso at the start of the Grand Prix. After the first two cycles of pit stops for fresh tyres, Maldonado undercut Alonso, who remained out for two more laps and was delayed by a slower driver during the second pit stop cycle. On lap 41, Maldonado's third pit stop was slow due to a tyre fitting fault and he lost his lead, but he retook it again by passing Räikkönen on lap 47. Alonso overtook Räikkönen on the following lap as well, and drew close to Maldonado; he could not pass Maldonado who maintained the lead for the rest of the race and achieved his maiden and only Formula One win. Alonso finished 3.1 seconds behind in second place and Räikkönen took third after being put on an alternate strategy intended to give him victory.
The race was Williams's first victory since Juan Pablo Montoya won the 2004 Brazilian Grand Prix, and is their last one as of 2023. Maldonado was the fifth race winner in the season's first five races. As of 2023, he is the only Venezuelan driver to have won a Formula One race. Following the race, Vettel and Alonso shared the World Drivers' Championship lead with 61 points each. Hamilton finished eighth, dropping from second to third, while Räikkönen advanced from seventh to fourth. With 15 races remaining in the season, Red Bull maintained its World Constructors' Championship lead over McLaren and Lotus with 109 points.